Rail-splice.



C. M. CULP.

RAIL SPLIGE.

APPLIOATIOH rILBD oo'r. 2, 1907.

901524. Patented Oct. 20,190&

OHARLES M. OULP, OF SOUTH BEN D, INDIANA.

RAIL SPLICE No. 9o1,524.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. eo, 1908.

Application filed October 2, 1907. Serial No. 395,643.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, CnARLEs M. CULP, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Bend, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Rail-Splices, of which the fo lowng is a specification.

This invention relates to rail j oints or chairs.

One object of the invention is to provide means for efecting a permanent connection between abutting ends of rail sections and yet not interfere with contraction an d expansion of the rails at their ponts of connection.

Another object of the invention resides n a new and novel means for mounting the splice bars of the joint and effecting a proper ositioning thereof to insure a tight ont between the abutting ends of the rail sectons.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts herenafter more fully described, illustrated in the acoompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended clams, 1t be1ng understood that changes maybe made n the form, proportion, size and minor details without de arting from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawngsz-Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view with a portion of the tread surface of the rails removed. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevaton of abuttng rail sections. Fig. 4 is a view illustrating a rail in'section and my invention in elevation.

Referring now more particularly to the acconpanyng drawings, the reference characters 1 and 2 indicate abutting rail sections, each having a semicircular tra'nsverse notch 3 in its web portion 4 for a purpose presently explained.

The character 5 indicates the base plate u on which the rail sections are mounted. Tiis base plateis provided along one longitudinal edge with an inwardly directed lip 6 which overhangs the base fiange of the rails and whose inner edgeis undercut, as shown at 7, to overhang the beveled longitudinal edge 8 at the lower outer edgeof the splice bar 9, while the opposite longitudinal edge of the base plate 5 extends considerably beyond the opposite side of the base fiange of the rail sections and is turned upwardly upon a curve, as indicated at 10.

Coperating with the splice bar 9 is a splice bar 11, whose lower edge is directed over the base flange of the rail sections and engages the u per surface of the base plate 5, as clearly s own in the drawings. Each splice' bar 9 and 11 is provided with a perforation intermediate its ends for the rece tion of the bolt 12, which is held against dslacement by means of the nut 13. This bolt and nut 12 and 13, respectively, holds the splice bars in coperative relation and the bolt 12 is fitted in the semi-circular notches 3 of the meeting ends of the sections 1 and 2, whereby longitudinal contraction and expansion of the rail sections 1 and 2 is permitted without causing displacement of the splice bars If the bolt 12 should be removed the splice bar 11 would be readily removable, if not liable to move by its own weight from its operative position, whereas the splice bar 9 would not be readily removable or accidentally movable unless the rail sections were moved by virtue of the beveled outer edge of the s lice bar 9 lying under the undercut wall 7 of the lip 6 of the baseplate 5. However, by forming the splice bar 9 separately from the base plate 5 instead of in one piece, as in my former patent No. 398,'709, Feb. 26, 1889, I am enabled to shift the splice bar 9 longtudnally, if not laterally, out of coperative re ation with the base plate 5 and the rail sections, if desird. Moreover, I am enabled, by virtue of the peculiarconnection between the splice bar 9 and the base plate 5 and the curved edge 10 of the latter, to obtain an efiicient wedging action of both splice bars with respect to the rail section and yet not interfere with contraction and ex ansion of the section.

o insure the efiicient wedgin engagement of the splice bars with the rai sections, I provide a wedgng plate 14, whose inner longitudinal edge is increased in thickness, as indicated at 14', for firm engagement with the splice bar 11, and whose outer ed e is designed to engage the inner surface of the upwardly turned part 10 of the base late 5. By forcing the outer edge of the tigfitenin or wedging late 14 down upon the curve inner face of the curved bar 10 of the base plate 5, the splice bar 11 is caused to slide nto tight engagement with the web part of the sections 1 and 2 and incidentally insure a wedging of the splice bar 9 in engagement with the opposte sides of the web parts of said sections by virtue of the wedging action had between the beveled and undercut 'faces 7 and 8, respectively. To cause this action of the wedging plate 14 it is simply necessary to manipulate the nut 15 upon the bolt 16, which latter passes through the wedging plate 14 and the base plate 5 at the base of its curved part 10, there being a boss 17 formed upon the under face of the base plate 5 at the base of its curved part 10, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. This boss provides for a firm engagement of the head 18 of the bolt 16. Other bolts 19 and 20 ass through the wedging plate 14 and base p ate 5 and are provided with the nuts 21. These latter bolts and nuts may coperate with the bolt 16 or they may be used for holding the inner edge of the wedging plate 14 tightly upon the splice bar 11, after manipulation of the bolt 16.

Trafiic over the rail sections 'is liable to cause more or less arring and consequently loosening of the bolts, but to prevent loosening of the bolts, I provide means whereby the nuts or bolts cannot turn. One form of means 'for this purpose resides in a looking plate having a head art 22 which engages the nuts 2 1, and a tai part 23 which engages the nut 13, there being a projecting lug 24 formed upon the head 22, which is provided with a perforation to permit the passage therethrough of the bolt 16 and which is also provided with a yieldable lip 25 designed to be bent into engagement with one side oi' the nut 15. Thus the bolt 16 holds the looking means against dis alacement and the latter in turn, by its peculiar formation and engagement with all of the nuts preven-ts accidental turning of the latter.

lVhat is claimed is 1- 1. The ,combination with abutting rail sections, of a base plate for the support of the rail sections, one edgeof the base plate overhanging one side ofthe base fiange of the rail sections and having` an undercut-wall, the o posite edge of the base plate eXtending beyond the opposite edge of the base fiange of the rail sections and being directed upwardly, a splice bar having a beveled edge for engagement with said under-cut wall of the base fiange, a second splice bar for engagement with the opposite sides of the rail sections, a wedging plate engaging the second mentioned splice bar and upwardly directed bar of the base flange, and means for securing the base plate and the wedging plate together.

2. The combination with abutting rail sections, of a base plate for the support of the rail sections, one edge of the base plate overhanging one side of the base fiange of the rail sections and having an undercut-wall, the opposite edge of the base plate eXtending beyond the opposite edge of the base fiange of the rail sections and being ,directed upwardly, a splice bar having a beveled edge for engagement with said under-cut wall of the base fiange, a second splice bar for engagement with the opposite sides of the rail sections, a bolt passed through the splice bars, a wedging plate engaging the second mentioned splice bar and upwardly directed bar of the base plate, and bolts passed through the Wedging plate and the base plate to secure them together.

3. The combination with abutting rail sections, of a base plate for the support of the rail sections, one edge of the base plate overhanging one side of the base fiange of the rail sections and having an under-cut wall, the opposite edge of the plate extending beyond the opposite edge of the base iange of the rail sections and being curved upwardly, a splice bar having a beveled edge for engagement with said- -undercut wall of theb'ase plate, a second splice bar for engagement with the opposite sides of the rail sections, a bolt passed through the splice bars, a wedging plate engaging the second mentioned splice bar and the upwardly directed part of the base late, bolts passed through the wedging p ate and the base plate, nuts upon all of the bolts, and looking' means engaging all of the nuts to prevent accidental turning of the latter.

1. The combination with abutting rail sections, of a base plate for the support of the rail sections, one edge of the base plate overhanging one side of the base fiange of the rail sections and having an under-cut wall, the opposite edge of the base plate extending beyond the opposite edge of the base fiange of the rail sections ,and being curved upwardly, a splice bar having a beveled edge for engageinent with said undercut wall of the base plate, a second splice bar for engagement with the opposite sides of the rail sections, a bolt passed through the splice bars, a wedgin plate engaging the second mentioned sp ice bar and the upwardly directed part of the base plate, bolts passed through the wedging plate and the base plate, nuts upon all of the bolts, a looking plate embracing one of said bolts and held upon the wedging plate by one of said nuts and having portions engaging all of the nuts to prevent accidental turning of the latter.

5. In a rail joint or chair, the combination with rail sections, of a base plate for the support of the rail sections one edge of the base plate overhanging one edge of the base fiange of the rail sections and having an undercut wall, the opposite edge of the plate extending beyond the opposite edge of the base flange of the rail sections and being curved u r wardly, a splice bar engagng one side of t e rail sections and havinga beveled edge for coperative engagement with said undercut wall, a splice bar engaging the opposite side of the rail sections, a bolt passed through he splice bars, the abutting ends of the rail sections each having a notch for registration ositon, nuts upon all of the bolts, and a With each other and through which said bolt oekng plate having engagement With all of passes to permt of contraoton and eXpanthe nuts to prevent acoidental turnng of the sion of the rail sections, a Wedging plate enlatter.

5 gagng the second mentioned s lce bar and In testmony whereof I aflix my signature, 15

the upwardly curved edge of the base plate in presence of two witnesses. for depression to Wedge the splce bars CHARLES M. CULP. tghtly into coperaton with the rail sec- VVitnesses: tons, bolts passed through the base plate and GEORGE OLTsoH,

10 Wedging plate to hold the latter in operative G. M. COLE. 

